Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-10
NORMAL GRADUATES.
WEST LIBERTY CLASS OF 81 STEPS OUT
FROM SCHOOL LIFE.
A Gala Day in the Old Town On aHlll-lnterestng
Exercises Witnessed by Many People
A Successful School.

little city on a hill always anticipate its
coming with feeling of pleasure, and for
several DAYS previous commence making
nreparations to properly observe the event
and entertain the large number OF visitors
who annually come in from all the country
round about TO witness the exercises and
pass pleasant day among old acquaint-
once and former classmates of the Acad
envy.
The West Liberty Normal School was
established in lS72, and it has since that
time graduated MANY men into various
walks of life, and the ladies who have
been launched out upon the world, from
its doors, are equally as numerous. There
il no reason why this school cannot be con-
ducted in successful manner, and Prof.
K. A. Armstrong, the present principal,
has shown that it can be. The attendance
the past year has been larger than ut any
time during the past twelve years, and the
prospects are that it will increase. Prof,
Armstrong is Il graduate Of the West Nir-
ginia University, having taken the degree
of A. r., and although comparatively
young man, he is possessed of the neces-
sary executive ability and requisites us a
teacher to make the school continued
success, and he is well liked and highly
respected in Liberty rs . gentleman and a
scholar. Mrs. 4. b. Wendt is his able
and efficient assistant, and Miss NJ. L.
Maxwell is teacher of vocal music.
The school is located in q delightful
spot, and since last year many needed I'M
provements have been made upon it,
although ii is not by any means yet in the
excellent repair that it should he.
On Sunday last IN eloquent and in
structive baccalaureate sermon was preach
ed hy Rev. X. +. Randolph, of the Fourth
Street NJ. T.. church OF Wheeling, which
was listened to by Il large and attentive
congregation.
Wednesday evening the Junior perform
ance took place, and although the weather
was oppressiyely warm, the large Academy
hall was filled and Overlooking with one
of the finest audiences ever seen within its
walls. The stage was decorated with
evergreenS and flowers, and the rear wall
was hung with pictures and also prettily
trimmed with flowers and evergreen, and
the hall being well lighted brilliant
scene was presented. The numbers on the
programme We're quite numerous, but the
shOrtnesS of each perform
ance prevented it stretching out into a
tireSume length, aud the audience listened
to its rendition with pleasure.
The West Liberty band furnished the
music, and opened the programme with an
overture, after which Rev. A. Il. Loves
made an appropriate prayer Miss Minnie
Atkinson, of Potomac, W. Va, read an es-
say entitled Living Waters" in which
she went on to say that there were living
waters in all walks OF life TO prevent bar
renueSS. il we wOuld only accept of them.
DUTY" was the title OF IN essay by Miss
Eliza Dague, of Viola, W. Va, and she
spoke OF the many kinds of duty-that Of
TO parents, OF schoolmatcs to each
other, of pupils to teachers and of all OF us
to God.
Miss Jennie Sutton, of Viola, took for
her topic Passion for Dress, and said
there are too many people in the world
who think too much of their outward APP
pcarancc; and she Thought this passion too
often caused weakness of mental and
moral powers.
Miss Lille Dunlap, of West Liberty,
took for her text Lost Keys and spoke
of the various kinds of lost keys of friend
ship. Of knowledge, of love, Of health, of
happiness and of the immortal soul.
"Our Essays" by Miss Minnie Winters,
OF Sand Hill, W. Va, was the mos origin
al paper of the evening. She sad many
people expected student to write some
thing Us fine as Shapespeare, Milton, and
other great authors, and she was incapable
of doing so. She then gave away the Sc
cret OF how essays were secured, but said
she had failed in the attempt to either buy,
beg or borrow one, and that was why her
hearers would have to excuse heI Oh this
occasion.
Then followed six declarations -"Our
Folks by Miss Daisy Wells, of West
Liberty; Ambition of Statesman by
Mr.. H. l.. Franks, Elm Grove; Month of
Mars" by Miss Mary McCOlloch, West
Liberty; "Thc World is Full of BEAUTY,
by Miss Ella NJ. Wilson, Sand Hill; The
Book Agent by Nh. John c. Rrnnard,
West Liberty, and "WNat Might liave
Been by Miss Ida $. Hedges, West
Liberty, all oil which were well rendered.
"rO Make Our To-DayS the Memory Of
Our To-Morrows" was the title ol au ora
ton, by Miss Emma Gardner, "i West
Liberty. She said we should make our
lives such that we may in future look back
on our actions in the past with pleasure.
Miss Georgia Mcfarland, of Suffer
Creek, Cal, took 'FOOtpathS and High
ways for the text of her Grafton, and spoke
of the many fOOtpaths which surround us
on all sides and lead to ruin, and Of those
on the other hand which we should fol-
low.
"Endeayor" was the title of an Grafton
by Miss Lizzie Ridgelcy, Of West Liberty,
If we wish to succeed in life we must en-
deavor to he happy, help others along in
life, to be charitable and to gain heaven.
Mr.. T. f.. McMurray, Of Potomac, took
for his text, Justice May Sleep but Never
Dies and ne impressed upon his hearers
that all who deserve Justice will yet it
sooner OF later, either IN this world or the
next.
Then followed a debate on the question,
"Af'trued that LAWYER ob,truct Justice
and are Il disadvantage to any country.
MeSSrS. T. W. Parsons and W. V. Noble
took care ri the affirmative. and NeSSrS. J.
l. Shriver and T. L. CasS had the mega
tive. The debate was COOL one, the
closing address by Mr. Cass being especially
good Had a straw vote been taken in the
audience the negative would have come oil
! victorious.
The performance ended with the Nor
mai Broom Brigade, by eighteen young
adde's attir.d in white and red costumes,
armed with neatly decorated broOmS, in
command of Capt. Armstrong The exhibit
ton was exceedingly pretty. Rev. Loves
pronounced the hcnediction and the audi
encr dispersed.
/ At an early hou, yesterday morning
heavy rain fell, and the ground was quite
wet, but this lid not deter people from flock
/ my into town, and soon hotels and private
residences Were filed with visitors. The
commencement exercises began at $50 "A.
M, and at that hour COLLEGE Hall was
again filed Ia its utmost CAPACITY and
more, by an audience Of ladies and GENTLE
men aud children, who listened most at
, .rutively To the exercises of the rraduat-
my class of -, which is composed of Miss
, Annie ). North, OF Clinton, W, Va. and
Nl.srS 4 = iiuus at W.st I,o,,,., W.,